Spring vehicle-wheel.



C. G. SMITH.

SPRING VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.Z7,1911.

mwm

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Witnesses Attornys I UNrrEn s'rA fl 'PAhllhiftil'iif CICER O Gr. SMITH, OF PALISADES, QOLOHADO,

SPRING VEI-IICLE-WHEEZ amount of resiliency without rendering the wheel unstable.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a lmb and a rim, adapted to permit the spring spokes to have the necessary amount of movement, due to their resiliency.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for assembling the spring spokes with the hub of the vehicle wheel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,l'igure 1. shows the invention in side elevation, parts being broken away; Fi 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 25 is a .t'ragniental perspective of the rim. Fig. ii; a sectional side elevation oil a fragment of a wheel constructed in accordance with my in-v vention, the view depicting a i'nodilicalion.

The rim is denoted generally by the numeral 1, and may be of any desired 't'orm, depending upon whether the wheel is to be used for light or for heavy duty. The rim 1 preferablyembraces a folly 2, ordinarily made in a number of sections, the telly 2 being surrounded by a tire 3, preferably of metal, there being in the tire 3 a series of grooves 4, intersecting adjacent the median plane of the wheel, as shown at 5, the ends of the grooves 4| preferably opening into each other at the sides of the wheel, as shown at 6. I bind myself to no specific form of ancmlwrs, pref rings lh,the rings is being engaged through Specification of Letterslatent.

ll-z'rten'ted Dec. 17, 1912.

Application filed September 27', 1911. Serial No. 851,6

tire, since a tire of any desired construction may be employed with the spring Wheel structure to be described hereinafter.

The invcnli .11 further includes a hub do noted generally by the numeral 7. The hub 7 is sleiliform in outline, and terminates in a plurality of outstanding bosses 8, There are in the hub 'i', bclwcni the bosses n, radially exlended openings ll.

The invention lnrlher includes a series of resilient arched sirnraures denoted generally by the numeral .14). The ends 11 of each of these structures are disposed upon oppos'e sides of one oi" the L-Si'iQIS 8, the ends or l adjacent slrnctm'es .10 being inserted into one of the openings 8. vl edges 12 are in sorted into the openings 1*, between the ends 11 of adjacent striu'ru res it), to bind the said structures in place within the hub 7. To the outer faces of the hub 7, side plates 14: are applied, securing elements to being extended through the plat-cs lrl. 'lhe securing elements 15 engage with the outer ends oi the wedges L, and constitute means forholding the wedges in place within the hub 7.

'i he outer, curred portions jlli ol the spring structures it) abut against lug i prct'erabty 'l'orincd mle jr: lly with the telly 2. Located within the curred portions lt elf the arched slrnctln'cs it), are endless sprins rably taking the torn oi out the mayor portion of their circumien cm us by the curred portions ltl ol the struolures It. ldlll'l llgl l the rings lb and through the curved portions 10 of the structures 1.0, and through \hc lugs 1?, bolts 1!.) or the like are extended. The rings lit bear against the exlrcmities ol the lugs .5, and securing dericcs 20 are passed through the rings 18, to engage with the lugs 8. Owing to the presonce of the lugs 17, the springs 10 and. illl may yield lo a considerable extent \VltllOlil coming into engagement with the rim 3. Likewise, owing to the fact that the hub T is provided with the bosses 8, which bosses are spaced a art. from the ends ll oi the structures 10, the spring rings l8 will yield readily, the construction being such that the ring lb is supported upon a relatively small area, represent-Gd by the extremity of each boss 8.

As clearly seen in Fig. 2, the structures 10 are somewhat wider adjacent the hub 7 than adjacent the rim 1. Likewise, these structures are preferably somewhat thicker adjacent the hub, than adjacent the rim.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised a vehicle wheel which will have great resiliency, and a wheel which will readily free itself from mud. Although the wheel will yield to the proper amount, in a fixed plane, a lateral yielding of the wheel is prevented owing to the presence of the spring rings 18.

In that form of the invention which appears in Fig. 4, the hub is denoted generally by the numeral 101, the numeral 102 indicating the side plates and the numeral 103 indicating the bosses of the hub. Securing elements 104 unite the spring rings 105 with the bosses 103. In that form of the invention which is under discussion, the resilient, arched structures hereinbefore referredv to, are of two part construction, comprising like elements 106. These elements 106 are equipped at their outer ends with angularly I securing elements 108 pass through the rings 105, and enter the rim 109between the fingers 107. As before, the resilient, arched structures bear against the rim 109, and the spring rings 105' are engaged with the arched structures, in the curved portions of the arched structures. The ends 110 of the members 106 enter openings in the hub 101, as shown at 111. The wedges 112 are employed as before, securing elements 114 unitirig the side plates 102, to hold the wedges in ace. P That form of the invention which is shown in Fig. 4 differs from that form which is shown in Fig. 1, only in the fact that the resilient arched structures are of two-- part construction, in Fig. 4, the angular fingers 107 being inserted into the rim 109. The fingers 107 are received against the securing element 108, so that the latter constitutes an abutment for the former. One of the advantages attributable to that form of parts of which at one end are inserted into the hub and at the other end inserted into the rim; a spring ring bearing against the curved portion of the arched structure and against the hub; and a securing element en gaging the ring and engaging the rim between the rim-inserted ends of said parts.

3. A wheel comprising a hub and a mm; aresilient, arched, two-part structure, the

parts of which at one end are inserted into the hub and at the other end inserted into the rim; a spring ring bearing against the curved portion of the arched structure and against the hub;'and a securing elementengaging the ring and engaging the rim between the rim-inserted ends of said parts; and wedges inserted into the hub between the hub-inserted ends of adjacent archedstructures. I

4. In a spring wheel, a spider in the form of a star with blunted points, a rim concentric with said spider, a resilient arch member bearing against the rim and having its ends secured in said spider on either side of one of said blunted points, a resilient ring within and bearing against the arch ofsaid arched member, fastening means extending through said rim, arch and ring, and fastening means for securing said ring to its corresponding blunted point.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as a my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CICERO G. SMITH. Witnesses:

H. R. HOUGH, MABEL LAWRENCE. 

